Abstract
by puppeteer.x
Summary: Emotions, confrontations. Breathing.
1. Crushed

They all moved about in droves.

Dispassionate, her eyes averted. Hand clenching tightly at the younger boy's. He seemed pleasantly innocent, more so than normal, his eyes wide, as he watched on. But the elder female merely stared. Dark eyes narrowed. In stark contrast to her sibling. "Aaldark?" Her gaze ripped away from the collection of darkly clad men. Pupils expanding to the sound of the little one's voice. "Why is the sky crying?" She inhaled, deep and slow. As if pondering how to respond.

"It is not tears. It is rain."

"But they say when God is sad, the angels cry." The younger boy responded quickly. Brows furrowing.

"..Perhaps." And the younger one leaned his skull against her arm. Gaze barely level with her abdomen. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled his nose against her appendage. "Will Mother and Father be happier now?" His sibling expelled a grunt. "Maybe, Zamiel.."

Approaching from behind, she could hear the sounds of dress shoes. Plopping amidst a small collection of puddles. Pupils contracting, the girl glanced over her shoulder. Her digits tightening amidst her brother's. "Good evening.." Came a voice. She detected no hostility. Yet her shoulders remained rigid.

"I am looking for a miss Aaldark and young Zamiel?"

The girl nodded her skull. Just slightly. "You must be Watari?" The elder man smiled placidly. Removing his hat and placing it over his chest. "Why, yes." Leaning forward, he placed a large umbrella over the two children. "You know where we are to go, yes?" The elder looked to her sibling. He was smiling widly at the old man. His two front teeth missing.

"Yes."


	2. Contemplation

She was standing there, glaring at the flooring. It was wooden and cold.

"This will be your room." She recalled the man stating. A hand placed atop her shoulder.

The travel in itself had left her brother exhausted. Upon seeing his own chambers, he had simply crawled atop his bedding and fell into slumber. But not herself. She was on edge and near to bristling. Looking to the side, she spoke. "This is Wammy House. Isn't it?" The elder man smiled once more. It was disarming to most. But not to her.

"Of course. Did your Mother and Father tell you about their involvement, here?"

"They both lived here, met here." She responded plainly.

Walking forward, she placed her hand atop the fabric of her bedding. Glaring at it in that same manner she had done to the floor. Watari merely watched the girl. She had reacted so cooly to the entire ordeal. Even for one of her age. She seemed much too mature. "Miss Aaldark." The girl grunted. Signaling she was paying attention.

"You are completely aware of all that may happen. Correct?"

She frowned. "Yes."


	3. Curious

It was months and months later. She found herself seated before a large fire place. Zamiel asleep within her arms. She had been reading the youngster a story until he had succumbed to slumber. Placing her chin atop his messy tresses, the girl closed her eyes.

"A tale of two cities. Interesting." Glancing to the side, she stared at the imagery of one of the fellow children. He was an odd boy. But weren't they all?

He offered her a blank expression, sitting upright, his knees pressed against his chest. Hands curved over the rolls of his knees. Reaching outward, he uplifted the book with his thumb and index finger. Studying the item, he found himself opening it to the last marked section.

"The guillotine." The boy stated, looking to the side once more. Aaldark blinked. "Yes."

"Do you not think it is too violent for the little one, there?" He pointed with his pinky at her sibling. Whom seemed extremely content against her, suckling on his thumb. "He is old enough to understand." She stated curtly. "Is that so?" The boy placed the book down neatly, thumb soon coming to rub against his bottom lip.

"You are the one they call Al, aren't you?"

The girl continued staring at him in that dull manner. He returned her empty expression. "Yes." She broke away and aligned her oculars upon the fire before them. A hand running lightly within the tresses of Zamiel. He moved just slightly, yawned, then settled.

"You are from Germany. Bavaria, correct?"

She merely grunted in response.

"Are you fluent in your home's language?"

Looking to the side, Aaldark stared and stared. Then responded. "Yes."

The boy seemed slightly amused. She could tell by the manner he nibbled upon his thumb. Eyes remaining wide and receptive. "If that is so, can you teach me?" The girl seemed at a loss for how to respond. Averting her gaze, she found her hand had halted it's affectionate ministrations, atop the skull of her sibling. Yet he seemed unconcerned.

"Perhaps." She cocked her jaw to the side.

"Then, my name is L."


	4. Iche Liebe Dich

Months and months again had passed.

She was sitting at a table now, Zamiel right next to her, eating oatmeal. He had become a frequent visitor during her tutoring lessons.

It was during the expanse of her teaching L, she was able to glimpse shadows of frustration, here and there. Yet he remained firm. Looking to her if his pronounciations were perhaps beneath par. She was patient enough. And had nothing better to do with her time.

Inhaling, she stated. "You place too much emphasis on the I."

He furrowed his brows, placing his thumb against his lower lip.

"Teach me how to say something more ethical."

The girl gave him a look.

"I have no use for saying such a frivolous thing." He mumbled, eyelids drooping.

"But that is important!" Zamiel had interrupted, frowning. "Don't you want to know how to say it when someone important comes along?" His sisted responded. "I believe L is right." The younger boy pouted, and resumed eating his oatmeal.


	5. Abandonment

Months and months. She was thirteen years old.

"Don't you want to eat some of your cake?" Her companion asked, dark eyes lain firmly about her. She shrugged her shoulders. "I do not like sweets." Uplifting her book, she turned the page.

"What a pity. Then, may I have the rest of it?"

"Enjoy." Turning the page once more, she only looked upward to watch as L cut another sliver of the treat. Placing it on his plate. He retrieved a strawberry and popped it into his mouth.

Looking to the side, the german girl frowned.

It seemed they were not alone within the dining hall this evening. A blond and red-head were seated a few rows down. The red-head sending furtive glances in her direction, while his companion simply stared.

"Matt and Mello." Her companion stated. Fiddling with a fork.

"Have you ever spoken to one of them?" He then asked.

Al looked down to her book once more. Turning the page. "The red-head. Once. He was nice." L cocked his jaw to the side. "Under what conditions?" The german girl blinked in a reptillian manner.

"I do not remember."

The boy chuckled. "He is walking over."

Sighing in exasperation, the girl closed her book. Nails fingering the collection of pages, her dark eyes flickering upward.

"Hi." He was standing before them, a smile upon his features. Shuffling about, he seemed to be looking over his shoulder. To his friend for support. The child prodigy at her side emmanated an extremely amused demeanor.

"Hello." Al mumbled, barely meeting his gaze.

"Uhm. Can you join me and my friend for abit?" He was scratching at the side of his cheek. The foreignor looked to the side. L was chuckling. "Go on." He did all but shoo her away as he took another slice of her cake. Readily devouring it.

"Sure.." Picking up her book, she came to stand. Walking behind the slightly taller teen.

She felt L had betrayed her, all for the sake of eating the treat in his own company.


	6. Ail

One year.

She was rubbing at her face, staring downward. She felt the weight of his hand on her shoulder. "I offer my condolences.."

But he was dead, and there was little she could do about it. Glaring to the side, she mumbled. "Do I get to set the guidelines?" Watari nodded slightly. "What do you wish?"

"His ashes. I'd like him to be cremated."


	7. Attentive

Two years.

She was sitting with him once more. But she was playing a game. Moving chess pieces.

The King, his Queen. The Bishop. Their Knights, and their Pawns.

"I do not like this game." She found herself stating. The male before her shrugged his shoulders.

"It is good for mental preparation." The german rubbed at the side of her jaw. "That may be so." She started, and finished by moving over one of her pawns. "But it still remains to be boring." L offered her a smile. "Of course." He retaliated by moving his Bishop. Which she pondered.

Moments passed. And the teen reached forward. Waving his hand before her gaze.

"I am concentrating, stop it." She grumbled. The boy chuckled.


	8. Valentine

Valentine's day.

She was stationed at the table once more, another book in hand. Stroking at her chin, she closed her eyes tightly, sighing. Her eyes had slowly begun to blur. And it would seem she was in need of glasses. Rubbing beneath her cheeks, the teen glanced to the side.

A brow was cocked.

Standing uprigth, she made her way over to a bookshelf. Inconspicious, it was much like all the others. Yet a sliver of paper had caught her attention.

Reaching outward, she retrived the brightly colored item.

Glancing about, she found no one else was within the library.

Slowly, she opened the envelope.

A letter?

Opening it, she retrieved a small red cartridge, and a note.

'Not sure if you are familiar with Pokemon. But I thought you'd like to give it a try. It's sorta strategy based. Well, if you ever decide to play it, I made a special team for you. Just pop it in a gameboy and you're set.'

She stared at the cartridge, then the note. It wasn't signed. Yet she could only deduct whom had written it.

Chuckling, she made her way to her room. Rifling about, she retrieved the old gift. The gameboy was a gift from Matt months before. Had he really planned all of this?

It took her a few moments to understand how to open up the menus and other items. But soon she opened up the one intended. Eyes glancing over the names of her Pokemon, she felt herself chuckle.

'Happy

V-day

Al.

Try

To

Smile.'

The names of her 'Pokemon'.


	9. Packing

This was the day she felt frantic.

She remembered it well.

Packing up her things, her gaze averted to the side. Rain was pattering on the window. Much like when she first arrived. It was raining.

But L was there, sitting atop the chair. Rubbing his thumb over his lower lip. His gaze was set to the floor. "You shouldn't be so upset." He mumbled. "Perhaps it will be a greater experience."

"I doubt so." Al mumbled, rubbing at the side of her neck.

"Didn't you always want to write novels?"

"Yes."

The male chuckled. "Then what is there to worry about? I am sure the people you will be boarding with, are considerably normal, compared to us all." The german girl frowned. "Of course.."

The male had adjusted his stature. Peering at her with those dark eyes.

"You do not want to go."

"No."

They shared a long look. She was the one to break it. "I like it here. You are my family. Despite the fact I hate you, most of the time." L laughed lightly. Smiling. "Of course."


End file.
